The Red-Tailed Butterflyfish (Chaetodon collare) is a very beautiful species and widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific seas. In the wild, these fish live in somewhat shallower waters between about 3 and 15 meters deep. You can often find them inhabiting coral reefs along the upper edges of slopes.
This species of butterflyfish has a considerable size, with adults reaching up to seven inches in length. Also, the colors of this animal is something incredible to behold. It has a brown body intertwined with a pattern of golden orange spots and a vertical white stripe running down its head. But its most striking element is undoubtedly its reddish tail fin seen in adult specimens.
Overall, the Red-Tailed Butterflyfish is considered a bit difficult to acclimatize and some individuals may even refuse the most common foods. Because of this, they are difficult to breed and need regular tank maintenance to maintain good quality water.
Finally, this species is also not recommended for reef tanks, as they are part of their natural diet.
Technical Details
Name: Red-Tailed Butterflyfish, Pakistan Butterflyfish, Collare Butterflyfish;
Scientific Name: Chaetodon collare (Bloch, 1787);
Family: Chaetodontidae;
Species Origin: Western Indo-Pacific (Persian Gulf, Maldives to Japan, Philippines and Indonesia;
Length: Up to 7 inches;
Life Span: Average of 5 and 7 years, but there are cases where some specimens reached 10 years;
Care Level: Moderate;
Water Parameters
pH: Maintain the pH of the water between 8.1 – 8.4;
Water Carbonate Hardness: Between 8 – 12;
Temperature: Must be kept between 22 – 28°C;
Care
Food
Omnivorous. In the wild, the Red-Tailed Butterflyfish feeds on coral polyps, worms, tunicates, crustaceans and algae.
In fish tanks, they will need a few days to adjust to their captive environment, but some specimens may simply refuse to eat. Younger fish around 3 inches long appear to be the most willing to accept dry foods.
Offer protein-rich foods, flake feed and shrimp. Also try to add a food enriched with spirulina and Nori in their diet, as they love this food type.
Adult fish can be fed twice a day, while younger fish should be fed three to four times a day.
Temperament / Behavior
The Red-Tailed Butterflyfish is considered a very docile fish, so you should be careful when keeping it with other more aggressive fish.
Generally speaking, you can keep several specimens together in the same tank, but you will need to add them all at the same time. The ideal, however, is to create a couple.
Tank Mates
Try to avoid keeping these fish with more aggressive species, as they will feel cornered and hidden. Also, avoid adding them to reef tanks, as they will likely feast on them.
Smaller and non-aggressive fish, such as some species of cardinal fish, are excellent for composing the tank of this species. In addition, you can also place them with Holacanthus and Pomacanthus specimens without any problems.
Some other genre such as Centropyge, Apolemichthys and Genicanthus are also good choices for a community tank.
Breeding / Mating
There are no reports of Red-tailed Butterflyfish breeding in fish tanks. In the wild, they are known to release their eggs into the water column, where they float with currents until they hatch. Once hatched, the fry enter a state where their bodies are covered in large bony plates.
Fish Tank Size
The fish tank needs to have at least 52 gallons for one fish. The environment should be decorated with live rocks and contain lots of hiding places, but also some open areas for them to swim freely.
Also, you can add a strong light fixture to the tank, however, you will need to leave some dimly lit spaces so they can hide. Bright lighting helps to develop algae, one of the main foods of this species.
Regarding filtration, the Red-Tailed Butterflyfish can tolerate an tank with efficient filters and a strong flow, but it’s recommended that the filter has a smooth flow.
Finally, there’s no need to perform frequent partial water changes in an tank with this fish. You can change about 10% of the water biweekly or 20% monthly, as sudden and large changes can cause problems.
References
Allen, G.R., 1985. Butterfly and angelfishes of the world. Vol. 2. 3rd edit. in English. Mergus Publishers, Melle, Germany. (Ref. 4858)
